This invention relates to an automatic dismounting roll for roll towel dispensers and more particularly, to such a roll specifically adapted for use with a greatly simplified dispenser automatic roll dismounting structure. With the unique automatic dismounting roll of the present invention, not only is the roll adapted for secure support during the dispensing operations and likewise adapted for positive and efficient automatic dismounting of the same, but the roll also lends itself to greatly simplified manufacturing procedures so as to reduce production costs over those required for prior automatic dismounting roll constructions. As a subsidiary advantage of the simplified automatic dismounting roll of the present invention, other elements of structure may be added thereto for supplying versatility in use of the roll in known prior automatic roll dismounting dispensers.
Various prior roll towel dispenser structures have heretofore been provided, some of which have included automatic roll dismounting after a predicted amount of the toweling has been dispensed from the particular roll. In general, most of the prior dispensers are hollow box-like in configuration adapted for being wall mounted on a vertical wall surface and are usually selectively front opening for providing access to the interior of the dispenser cabinet in order to perform the toweling roll replacement operations. Furthermore, since this class of dispensers make use of rolls of toweling, the toweling is dispensed in continuous strip form downwardly from the dispenser during the operation thereof.
More particularly, the roll of toweling is rotatably supported within the dispenser with the main longitudinal axis thereof between roll end holders. The continuous strip of toweling is fed downwardly from the roll between a pair of rotatable dispensing rolls and from the dispensing rolls downwardly adjacent a cutting bar and from the dispenser. The roll of toweling is supported freely rotatable so that, upon selective rotation of the dispensing rolls by means of one of various forms of hand operating levers, the strip of toweling is dispensed from the cabinet and ultimately severed against the cutting bar after a quantity thereof is so dispensed.
In automatic roll dismounting dispensers, the particular roll of toweling from which the strip of toweling is being dispensed is supported on the roll end holders so that once a given quantity of toweling has been unrolled and dispensed therefrom, the roll end holders, usually through a cooperative specific roll formation, physically release the roll and permit the same to drop downwardly within the cabinet into a particularly provided used roll recess. Since the strip of toweling being dispensed from the roll is still firmly retained between the selectively rotatable dispensing rolls despite the fact that the roll is now resting in this used roll recess of the cabinet, following rotation of the dispensing rolls for the dispensing operation will continue to draw the strip of toweling from the roll while the roll now slideably rotates within this recess, and there will be no interruption of a limited number of further dispensing operations. However, since the roll from which the strip of toweling is being dispensed is now displaced from the roll end holders, a fresh roll of toweling can be mounted between the roll end holders during a maintenance operation, the strip of toweling from the fresh roll positioned directed downwardly between the dispensing rolls simultaneously with the strip of toweling from the used roll and the strip of toweling from both the used and fresh rolls will be automatically dispensed simultaneously from the dispenser until the used roll is completely exhausted of toweling.
Basically, the most common manner of providing an automatic roll dismounting dispenser is to form the roll end holders with a specific cooperable roll formation so that retention of the roll of toweling by the roll end holders at least at one end of the roll is determined by the layers of toweling on the roll. In other words, the roll end holder and roll are cooperably formed such that the roll will be supported by the roll end holder properly rotatable for dispensing until a given number of layers of the toweling have been rotatably wound therefrom, at which time, a portion of the roll end holder is automatically exposed to automatically remove the roll support of that particular roll end holder and the roll thereby is automatically released through gravity to pivot endwise about the other roll end holder ultimately falling downwardly to come to rest within the dispenser used roll recess as hereinbefore described. It is the rolls of toweling used by this general form of automatic roll dismounting dispensers to which the improvements of the present invention are directed.